Method of and machine for the manufacture of tile, brick, &amp;c.



S. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD or AND MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTUREOF TILE, BRICK, an. APPLlCATiON FILED MAR. 19, I919. RENEWED JULY 6.1920.

1,369,864, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

,FIELII.

S.YH. METHOD bF AND MACHINE FOR THE MANUF APPLICATION FILED MAR. I94I919.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

l4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR FIG RE 0F TILE, BRICK, Cu:- 0 JULY 6. I920.

Patented l4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v S- H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG- APPLICATION FILED MAR. [9,1919- RENEWEFIEQ.

INVENTOR METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTU 1,369,864.

WITNESSES s. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF TILE BRICK, m.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1919. RENEWED JULY 5. 19

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' IlIQIElIEQR S. H. WIGHTMAN AND T A. LONG. METHOD OF AND MACHINE FORTHE MANUFACTURE OF TILE, BRICK, &c.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 19, I9I9. RENEWED JULY'G, I920. 1,369,864.

Patented Mar. 1,1921.

II SHEETS-SHEET 5- FIELE.

WITNESSES flIITHIXESNTORS 1 S M & I

HIQWMD.

s. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD OF AND MACHJ NEF'OR'THEMANUFACTURE OF TILE, BRICK, 6L0.

'APPLICATION HITED MAR. 1 9. I919. RENEWED JULY 6,192 0. I

Lgfig g Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

14 SHEETSSHEET 6- fgzww. I qgw s. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD OFAND MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILE, BRICK, 8w.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 19, I919. RENEWED JULY 6, I920.

A 9 H l a L m 4 R S ah 6 l M m fiw w 7 6 9 M H I 3 O 00 ll 1%. I 6 If &A. .E w. P I O l 24/ l a 8 w o M 0 0 3 I 7 A1 6 n0 9 Wm. 9 QW PM 1 6 H Ori-ldmnz AZ INVENTOFI WITNESSES s. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. LONG. METHOD OFAND MACHINE FOR THE MANU FACTURE 0F TILE, BRICK, &c. APPLICATION HLEDMAR. 19. I919. RENEWED JULY 6, 1920.

3 9 4 Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

14 SHEETSSHEET a.

FIELID 5 0 6' 94 I x. l

a7 as 8 FIEJJ. g

WITNESSES A w %%WM I QWMMQ S. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. "METHOD 0F ANDmomma FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILE,-BR|CK, m.

I APPL ICATION FILED MAR. 19. I919- RENEWED JULY 5, 1920. '1 69,864,Patentad Mar. 1, 1921.

I4 SHEETSSHEET F'IGJE.

WITNESSES v S. H WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD OF AND MACHINE'FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF TlliE, BRICK, m.

. I APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 19I9. RENEWED JULY 6, 1920. 1,369,864.

Patented Mar. 1,- 1921.

14 SHEETS-SHEET IO- Fl 6. m-

94 FIEIBZ- INVENTOR zyzww W!TNESSES S. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG.METHOI 0F AND MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILE, BRICK, dac- PatentedMar. 1, 1 921.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. I9, 1919- RENEWED IUI Y 6, I920- 1,369,864.

. IMMW JI WQWQ INVEN l4 SHEETS-SHEET ll- FIBJE.

FIE.18.

A. LONG.

METHOD O'F AND M APPLICATIO 1,369,864.

H. WIGHTMAN AND T.

ACHINE FOR THE MANUFA N HLED MAR. 19. 1919. REN

CTURE 0F TILE, BRICK, 8L0. EWED JULY 6, 1920.

' Patente d Mar. 1; 1921. 14 SHEETS-SHEET l2.

FIG

WAQ Z QTBT WITNESSES S. H. WIGHTMAN AND T. A. LONG. METHOD OF ANDMACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILETBHICK, m. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19.I919. RENEWED JUL'YAB, 1920.

1,369,864, Patented Mar. 1,1921.

' l4 SHEETS-SHEET l3.

WITNESSES AN AND T. A. LONG. NE FOR THE MAN APPLICATION HLED MAR. 19,I919- S. H. WIGHTM METHOD OF AND MACHI UFACTURE OF vTILE,

BRICK, 61,0-

RENEWED JULY 6.1920.

Patented Mar. 1,

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET l4.

laVfaj TOR all b W'TN ESSES closing casing feed hopper, a slab feedingmeans 111.860"

, ing head in warren stares SHERBURNE n. wrenrraa'n,

os-nrnivrrnenaivr, MICHIGAN. ann rnoivms a. mm,

or MELROSE HIGHLANDS, massacnosnrrs, nssrenons T WIGHTMIAN 001v cnn'rnrnonno'rs, rnoonrone'rnn, or "PITTSBURGH;

RA'I10N or DELAWARE, I

.ivrnrnon or'hnn MACHINE FOE Application filed March 19, 1919, SerialNo. 283,515.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Si-InRcURNn H. WLHTMANand THoMAs A. Lonmresiding, in the county Highlands, n the county .ofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, haveinventedor discovered certain new and useful Improvements in- Methods ofand Machines for the Manufacture of Tile, Brick, &c., of whlchimprovements the following is specification.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional elevation 01'' a machine embodying improvementsclaimed herein; Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional plans, the plane ofsection being indicated respectively by the lines 1111, 111-111 andIV-IV, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing particularly the mechanismsfor'operatingthe shutters, feed plates and pusher; Fig. 6 is a sideelevation, the

being removed, showing the tion; Fig. 7 is a side elevation,the casingbe ing removed; Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12'and 13 are sectional viewsshowing the several positions of parts directly operating on the plasticmater'al, Fig. 8 showing the press about. to move forward to feedmaterial, Fig. 9 showing pressure head up and pusher and feed plateadvanced, Fig. 10 showing block in retaining mold and position of partsjustprior to short downward movement of retaining mold to permit inwardmovement 01 knives, Fig. 11 shows retaining mold lowered and knivesforced inward, Fig. 12 shows knives forced in and retaining mold raisedto press knives against lower end of shaping mold; Fig. 13 shows knivesin position under block in shaping mold, retaining ,mold lowered andcores drawn from severed article and eiector advancing to push palletand article from s-up portinghead onto receiving table; Figs. 141

and 15 are views showing steps'to remove pallet and article and placenew pallet on pallet-head; Fig. 16 is a sectional plan view on a planeindicated by the line XV1-XV1, Fig. 9; Fig. 17 is'a sectional detailview showing the movement of the material into Specification of LettersPatent lower portion of the inlowest position and the pusher TEEMANUrAc'r nE or :rrnnrnrck. ac.

PatentedMar. 1, 1921. Renewed July 6, 1920. Serial No. 394,234.

rannsvnvanra, A CORPO- the mold; Fig.18 is anelevationof a at of coresand portions to' form six hollow artlcles; Fig. 19 isan-endview of thesame; Fig. 20 is a sectional view on a plane indicated by theline XXeX-X Fig. 18; Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are views similar to Fig. 20 showingdifferent arrangements of cores and'parti'tions; Fig. 2 1 is a plan viewof the shaping mold; Figs. 25, 26 and 27 are de tail views showingmeansfor'directing jets of water into shaping mold; Fig. 28 is a sectionaldetail view showing a form of shutter to shape the upper surface of theslab to facilitate distribution of material between V cores; Fig. 29 isa sectional plan 'of .slab shaped by shutter shown in Fig. 28 Fig. 30

is a sectional'view showing form of shutter employed when formingcoredand solid" articles; Figs. 31'and 32 (Sheet 10) i are detail views ofends on cored tiles, and Fig. 341 is asectional. view of theconstruction shown in;

mechanism for operating the feed plates, Fig. 33 (Sheet 2) is asectionaldetail view showing relative positions of cores and partitions whenforming solid.

broadest features in forming tiles, blocks, v

bricks, etc., by superposing one upon another in a suitable mold orvmatrix, relatively thin layers or. strata of plasticomaterial andsubjecting each layer when 'in placeto a pressure sufficient toimpartthe required density, this method being applicable to the 'manufactureof either. SOlld articles or'articles ha'vingholes or passagestherethrough. 1t is preferred-inthe practice of the method to first formthe plastic materialinto a relatively thin sheet which is movedintermittently transversely of the mold, a section of the; sheet severedand forced down upon a supporting pallet. or upon a previously compactedlayer and then subjected to pressure which is, suflicient'zto spread thematerial-uniformly and to produ'ce the required density. As it isdesired that the operative face. of the pressure should have apredeterminedandexcept un der abnormalconditions', a constantrange ofmovement, provlsion should be made that the compressing action will beeffected in the same plane.

This can bemost readily effected by. shifting the previously com:

ofthe mechanisms. 'the-des1red-cons1stency is charged into the pactedbody down such a distance after eachpressing operation so that if thesheet is of uniform thickness, each section depos it'ed in the mold willbe subjected to substantially the same pressure.

It is preferred to form a body having two of the dimensions, as forexample width and thickness, desired in the finished article, but thethird dimension, 6. g.,'length, substantially greater than that desiredin the finished article, and then separating from such body a portionhaving a length substantially equal to such third dimension.

Simultaneous with the separating of the finished-portion, a support isprovided for the part in process of formation, while the finishedportion is separated from the mold and the latter restored to operativeposition.

'VVhile 1t 1s practical to form each layer or stratum from one andthesame sheet, which,

if a solid'brick or other article is being formed, would be'advanced ateach feeding operation, a distance substantially equal to the width ofthe forming mold, it is preferred-that each layer or stratum should beformed by sections of two sheets moving in opposite directions towardand partially across the end of the forming mold or matrix. Thisopposite feed of the sheets is especially desirablc'when making hollowtiles or blocks as the flow of the material to inclosethe cores istherebyreduced at least one half. j i

The invention described herein is adapted to the manufacture of a largevariety of articles, such as blocks, hollow tiles, conduits, sewerpipes, bricks, etc, from plastic material as clay or concretecompositions consisting of natural or artificial cements and water,sand,and a hard aggregate such as gravel, crushed stone, slag, etc. Thematerial when fed to the machine should have as great a plasticity asconsistent with the molded article,'maintaining its shape after removalfrom the retaining mold. lVhile the embodiment of the improvements shownherein is adapted to the manufacture of hollow building tiles, changessuch as will readily suggest themselves to "those skilled in the art,will adapt the mechanism to the facture of alarge variety of articles.

As the mechanism employed for the dou- "ble feeding of-the material toshaping mechanisms are duplicates, one of the other, the

description thereofwill be confined to one The material having hopper 1which is made slightly flaring fromithe upper end to facilitate thedownpendent upon whether one or 'll'lBClliLIllSlilS are employed.

shutter 2 and below the shutter is arranged a feed plate 3 having awidth equal to the width of the matrix in which the shaping of thematerial is to be effected. lVhen the shutter is withdrawn, the materialwill drop ontothe plate 3 on which it is retained by upturned flanges 4along the sides of the plate and by a pusher block 5 supported by, butmovable independent of the feed plate, as hereinafter described. Afterthe material has been deposited on the plate 3, the shutter is shiftedclosing the lower end of the hopper and forming the top of what may betermed the feed box, consisting of the plate 3 with its side flanges,the pusher and the shutter, the end of the box opposite the pusher beingopen for the discharge of the sheet or layer of material. The shapingmold or matrix and the feed plate are arranged in such relation to oneanother that the plate, when shifted, will project as here inafterdescribed, toa greater or less extent over the open upper end of themold 6, de-

two feed The feed of material to the shaping mold is effected by theforward movement of the pusher 5, which bears against the slab ofmaterial resting on the feed plate, 3, the

latter moving with the material by reasonof the frictional engagementbetween the material and plate. After such a movement of the materialand f ed plate as-will. cause the projection of the desired amount of material over the forming mold, a pressing head 7 having peripheralcutting edges moves down toward and generally a short distance into themold box; this pressing head having transverse dimensions slightly lessthan the internal dimensions of the mold box so that the presser maymove down therein. As the presser begins its clown-- ward movement, thefeed plate is moved back out of the path of'movement of the 'presser,but the pusher is held stationary, preventing any backward movementoffthe material with the plate that a portion of the sheet or slab ofmaterial will be left ununported and overhang the forming mold; thepresser in moving down will complete the severance of the overhangingportion and force it down into the mold. Asthe presser continues itsmovement, this section of material will. be spread out laterally and Vuniformly over the'surfacc either of the pallet or of a previouslyformedand compressed surface of the material. The movement of thepresser is continued so that this material ust deposited with n the moldwill be subgected to a pressure equal. to the pressure necessary toproduce the desired density of this layer, 2'. a, the density desired inthe completed articles. Aftera layer has ward, the pusher and slab ofmaterial, the

latter carrying the feed plate with it will move forward a predetermineddistance, bringing another sectlon of the slab or sheet of materialabove the mold; the presser .again moves down and the feed plate iswithdrawn, the pusher and slab of material remaining stationary. 1

The blades or cutting portion of the presser, are beveled or inwardlyinclined and will therefore operate to spread the material inwardly.This feature is of especial importance in making hollow articles as theinclined surfaces of the blades will move the material piled up againstthe cores, when the slab is fed in, into the spaces between the cores.These inclined or beveled surfaces will act against the large pieces ofstone or gravel andforce them into the body of the layer, therebydisplacing the relatively liquid mortar or binder and, force it to theperipheral surface of the layer, pro-- a smooth surface in the completedducing article. And further, as the large pieces are forced inwardlyinto the area operated on by the flat face of the presser, these largepieces of aggregate will be causedto break through the compacted smoothsurface of the previous layer when the presser bears upon the layerbeing formed, thereby ing up any stratification, the larger pieces ofone layer being forced into the adjacent layers. A further advantage-ofproviding inwardly inclined surfaces at the periphery of the presser isthat V-shaped cavities are formed between the inner surfaces of theshaping mold and the incline or bevel produced by the action'of the edgeof the presser, which cavities will be filled in by the' material fromthe next succeeding section of slab deposited in the mold, so thatsucceeding layers are interlocked. 7

Immediately below the shaping mold or -matrix6 and in line therewith, isarranged a retaining mold 8 into which the shaped article is forced fromthe shaping mold. The

rubbing of the surfaces of the shaped material along the surfaces of theshipping mold'and also the surfaces of the retaining mold. ashereinafter described, has a troweling or smoothing effecton thesurfaces of the material.- At the beginning of the operation, a pallet 9made of wood or other suitable material is moved up to within a shortdistance belowthe upper edge of the retaining mold, 6, 6., within adistance not greater than the thickness of a layer of material whencompressed. This pallet is supported by means ofa movable head 10 whichin turn is supported by means adapted to move down step by step, or witha slow continuous movement. and to be raised its entire stroke bymechanism hereinafter described.

As the operations of feeding in, cutting off I breakformed, moving alongdown under the action of the presser.

As soon as a'suflicient length of material has been shaped and a portionof this shaped material equal to the length of the desired articlepasses into the supporting or retaining mold, the latter is moved down aslight distance and the shaped body cracked transversely by reason ofthe fact that a portion of such body will be frictionally held withinthe shaping mold and a portion within the movable mold box the crack orline of sepa-. ration will be approximately coincident with the line ofseparation of the shaping and retaining mold as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 12, i. 6., with a small portion of the material projectingup above the upper end of the retaining mold. As soon as the re tainingmold is moved down to effect the cracking as above stated, knives 11.are

pushed in from opposite directions and as the edges are beveled asshown, the material projecting above the body within the retaining moldwill be shaved off and forced back up. into theportion of the body heldwithin the shaping matrix. To complete the finishing of the upper end ofthe completed articlev in the retaining mold and the lower end of theblock in process of formation, the retaining mold is moved up againstthe knives l1 forcing them. against the lower end of the shaping moldand while the molds and knives are thus held together, the presser willbe forced down onthe block in the shaping mold. As soon as thefinishingof the ends of the completed'article and the lower end I of the body inprocess of formation has been effected, as above described, theretaining mold is moved down entirely clear of the article resting uponthe pallet which in turn is supported by the head 10. As soon as thesupporting mold has been moved below the.

pallet on which-the [inishedarticle rests, a shifting'head 12 adapted tobear against the edge of the 'palletand also the side of the completedarticle, moves forward, pushing the pallet and article ontoa receivingtable; By the same movement this shifting head. carries with it a secondpallet 9 into position above the head 10 and prior to its backwardmovement the shifting head is raised so that in its backward movement itwill clear this pallet 9 and leave it in. position on thefihead 1Owhichis again raised to carry the pallet 9 into contact with the lowerend of the body in process of formation. At'the same time with theupward movement of the head and pallet, the retaining mold is alsomovedup. This stripping movement of the retaining mold. will have atroweling or smoothing effect on the surfaces of the article. 1

During the lowering of. the movable 1'8-" 'taining mold clear of theformed article and pallet, and the return oi the head and taining orsupporting mold and new pallet to operative position, the knives 11remain in position under the lower end of the a rtiele in process oiformation, but as revision is made to stop the feed of material into themold, simultaneous with the movement of a length or block equal to thatof the desired article into the retaining mold, the forma tion of blockis stopped, until the retaining mold and the head 10 with a new pallethave been raised and the knives withdrawn.

The above described operations are carried out whether a solid bloelz isbeing formed or material is being compressed around cores to form ahollow tile or other hollow article. When it is desired to :torm ahollow block or other hollow article, a series oi? cores 13' aresuspended from a movable head lat, their lower ends projecting at thebeginning of the operation through the shaping mold and their ends incontact with the pallet. As has been hereinbefore described, the head inwhich the upper edge of the cores secured, is connected by rods 15 t 1]wer head 16 which rests upon a lever, the movement of which. willcorrespond with the rate of movement of formation of the body in themold matrix and the cores will move down i as the sha 366i bodv movesdown throu h the shaping matrix and the supporting mo d. When formingcored articles, the material is fed in laterally and in a direction at vangles to the axes of the cores and it is I erable to employ two feedingmechani so that the material may be deposited mo...

'uniformly into the shaping mold, and will.

have to flow short distances under the pressure of the pressing head.The pr ing head when forming hollow articles, will reciprocate alongthese cores, openings being formed through the head only sl htly longerthan the transverse dimensions of the cores. r

It will be understood that when stripping the supporting mold from thefinished article, the cores are simultaneously pulled upward, the knives11 serving as stops to prevent the movement of material from thefinished article up with the cores. In order to facilitate thewithdrawal of the cores .from the block, they are made slightlytaporing, and the mechanisms operating the several parts, 2'. 0., themovable retaining mold and the head carrying the cores and the presserare all so timed in their operations that the mold starts down and thecores begin to move up, the presser head will strike the upper end ofthe block in the forming mold. This movement of the cores up through thefinished article, will effect a smoothing of the inner surfaces of thearticle. Q

In general it is preferable to employ mold and the pallet support.

' in proper alinement.

arranged in suitable relation and molds of a width which is a multipleof a plurality of the articles to be formed. "In the constructionshown-herein the shaping mold and the retaining mold are formed of sucha length that two, three, or'more arti-- les may be formedsimultaneously by the employment of suitably arranged partitions 17secured in the core head and extending down to the pallet and alwaysmovable with the cores. As it will be desirable to form some hollowtiles, etc. with solid ends, as shown in Fig. 33, the cores will be madeshorter than the partitionsso that the ends of the cores will not reston the pallets and material will fiow between such ends and the pallets.Insuch cases it is'preferredthat the lower portions of the cores shouldbe rounded or inclined to facilitate the flow of the material.

The mechanisms for carrying out the operations herein'before describedare preferably inclosed in a sectional case or shell, within which arearranged the posts or pillars=l8 serving as guides for the head 14 andblocks 16 of the core frame, the presser 7 presser pulling head, themovable retaining These guides pillars have their ends firmly secured tothe ase and the'top section of the in'closing case which carries thematerial feeding mechanism, and as the middle shell section whichsupportsthe shapingmold is firmly secured to the other sections, all ofthe ele ments of the mechanism'will be rigidly held In practicaloperation, sets of cores 13 an d partition plates '17 would be formeddependent upon the character of articles to be formed; As for example,in Fig. 23 is shown a' relative arrangement'of cores andpartitionsforforming two hollow tiless'i multaneously, one wider than the other,

while in Fig. 21 is shown an arrangement for the manufacture ofthreetiles. 7 It will be understood that'the number and relative positions ofpartitions employed will depend upon the number and widths of the tilesdesired, and that if a tile having a width equal to that of the mold isdesired, no partitions will be used. Thecores and partitions orpartitions forming a set, are 7 suitably spaced, and then tied togetherby a bolt as shown in Figs. 18-49 so that by withdrawtransverse bolts,one setcan be removed and another substituted between the sides of thecore supporting head 14;. Suitable guide blocks 20 adapted to travelalong the posts 18 are secured by bolts21 in the head 1%. The cores andpartitions are made of such a length thatwhen the head 14 is at itshighest position, the lower ends of the cores and partitions will bearupon the pallet carried by the head 10 when the latter is at its highestposition.

The head 14: is connected by. rods 15 to blocks 16 adapted to slidealong the posts 13 and provided withsuita ble bearings 23 engaging theends of levers 2a which are rigidly connected by web 25 and have mountedthereon rollers 26 resting on the peripheries of came 27 secured on theshaft 28.

The shaping mold is formed by stationary boX 6 secured by bolts toinwardly projecting flanges 30 on the middle section of the inclOSingcase or shell. The moldbox is provided with an extension at its lowerend, preferably formed by the lower portions of the hard steel liners c,said extensions being surrounded and braced as against distortions by aframe 3l which is movably connected to the mold box by bolts 33extending up from the frame through lugs 34 on the mold box. Springs 32surround the bolts and hear at their ends against the lugs and frame toforce the latter down as hereinafter described. The material is fed intothe upper end of this shaping mold and is compressed layer by layertherein, The block as it is formed,

moves down through the shaping mold and into the retaining mold 8provided with hard steel liners having the same internal dimensions asthe shaping mold. This retaining mold is adapted to be supportedinoperative position to prevent lateral distortion of the block and tobe shifted as hereinafter described by any suitable means, as forexample, by a lever having twin arms 35 extending from a sleeve 36loosely mounted on shaft 37. This sleeve is also provided with arms 38arranged at an angle to the arms 35, as shown in Fig. 5. Rollers 39. and40 are so mounted on the respective arms as to bear on the cam surfacesat and a formed on the disk 41 secured on the shaft 42; Thisconstruction insures the positive shifting of descri ed. It is preferredthat the retaining mold for purposes hereinafter the mold should beyieldingly connected to the lever arms 35 and to this end eye bolts 43are connected to lugs it on the mold and the stems of the bolts passdown through pins as passing through holes in the. lever arms andsprings 46 surrounding thestern on opposite sides of the pins as showninFig. 7. When it is desired to form two or more tiles or other articlesat the same time, suitably arranged partitions 17 are employed ashereinbefore described. These partitions are made a little wider thanthe internalwidth of the mold boxes, and grooves are provided in thesides of the boxes for thereception of the edges of the partitions asshownin Figs.

3 and l, said grooves being preferably formed by making the liners insections and spacing them suitable distances apart.

as above stated. the blocks are built up I on a pallet 9 which is moveddown as the layers are formed on the upper endof the block.

twin levers 4-8 provided with rollers 49 loosely mounted on pins carriedby the;

levers, saidrollers resting on a cam 50 on the shaft 28. This cam is soconstructed as to permit of the pallet head being moved down only aslayers are added-to the upper This pallet maybe formed of Wood or othersuitable material and has transverse' end of the block and in directproportion to the thickness of the superimposed compressed layer. Thismovement of the pallet head and also of the cores which rest on thepallet, is continuous until a length ofblock equal to that of thearticle to be formed has passed into the retaining mold at which timefurther downward movement of the pallet head and cores is arrested, andthe supporting mold is given a short quick downward movement to crackthe block transversely.

The-pressing element consists of a pressing head 7 and the carrying head51, which consists of an open frame having internal dimensionsapproximately equal to those of the shaping mold and having yokes 52- atits ends for; the reception of the bearing blocks 53 arranged onopposite sides of the guiding pillars 18. This carrier headis connectedby rods 54 to a cross-head 55 adapted to be reciprocated vertically byeccentrics 56 on the rapidly rotated shaft 57 In order to permit of ayielding of the press;

mg head when excess of material is fed and the full movement f thepresser is prevented, a yielding connection between the eccentrics andthe head 55 is provided. In the construction shown in Figs'o and 7, theeccentric straps are provided with stems 58 which are connected to pins59' in shells 6.0 1

arranged in sockets adjacent to theends'of' the cross head and springs61 are interposed between seats at the lower ends'of the sockets andnuts 62 screwing onto the' 'externally threadedshells, the tension ofsaid springs being so adjusted that a compressivev action,

at least equal to that desired, may be e erted on the material in themold box, on

each downward. movement of the pressing head.

If articles having a wldth equal to that off] the mold boxes are to beformerlythe pressing head would be made in one piece and of a width andthickness equal to that of the mold, but when making two or morearticles simultaneously, necessitating the use of par titions 17, thepressing head is made insections of widths dependent on the positions ofthe partitions relative to the ends ofthef mold and to each other, whena plurality of partitions are employed. The pressing head,

whether, a unitary structure or made in sections is removably secured tothe carrier frame, or head 51 by bolts 63 secured in studs 64 on thehead and passing up through lugs 65 on the carrier. The detachableconnection of the presser or presser sections to the carrier permits ofthe changing of the sectionswithout removing the carrier and itsoperating connections, from the machine. The cutting blades 66 havinginwardly inclined or beveled lower edges, are detachably secured bycountersunk screws to the sides and ends of the presser.

When making cored or hollow articles, openings are formed through theportion of the presser within the cutting edges, said openings being ofsuch dimensions as willpermitof the passage of the cores therethrough,but the edgesof the openings should fit sufficiently close against thecores to prevent, as far as possible any 7 of the material being forcedbetween the surfaces of the cores and the edges of the openings. I

As hereinbefore stated, the material is pushed from oneor opposite sidesover the moldand into the path of movement of the presser head 7, and itis preferred that the material previous to its being fed to themold'shonld be given such a preliminarv slab or sheet-like shape as willinsure an e o and uniform distribution of the material across the moldby the action of the presser. To this end, material having a properconsistency is delivered or supplied into a hop per or hoppers 1 havingan outward and downward flare so as to facilitate the down ward movementof the material through the hopper. The lower ends of the hoppersnormally closed by movable shutters 2 which are provided on their sideswith sleeves 67 mounted on the guide rods 67 and one of said sleevesoneach side of the shutter is provided with a projection, said projectionsengaging endsoflinks 68 which have their opposite ends connected tolevers 69. These levers are so connected by pitmen 70 that the shutterswill be simultaneously shifted but in opposite directions. As it will begenerally preferable that the material should be discharged from thehoppers onto the feed plates at the time the movable r taining mold isstripped from a completed article, one of the levers 69 is connected byrods 71 to a member of the mold operating means, as for example, to thelevers Be low the shutters are arranged the feed plates- 3'having theirends turned up to form retaining flanges 4. The feed plates are sosupported adjacent to the shaping mold by rollers 72 loosely mounted onstuds or pins secured in lugs 73 on the sides of the mold box and bycurved members 74: aswill be hereinafter described, so that the flangeslof the plates will bearagainst the under surfaces of the shutters, asshown in F 1g. 6, thus forming boxes or troughs having then of the arm90 with the upper tops and bottoms formed by the shutters and plates andtheir ends by the flanges 4. The ends of these troughs adjacent to themoldsare open for thepassage of the material to the molds which iseffected by inten mittently moving pushing blocks 5. The supports forthe feed plates are so arrangedthat plates incline slightly downwardfrom their outer ends, so that as they are moved in wardly the slabsofmaterial resting thereon will move, down and the friction between theupper surfaces of the slabs and the under surfaces of the shutters willbe greatly or entirely reduced. These pushing blocks which have theirfront faces protected by hardened steel strips, are providedwith arms 75havingat their outer ends sleeves 76 loosely encircling the shafts 77 sothat the blocks are mainly supported by the feed plates. The ends ofthese shafts are secured in blocks 79 having sleeves, at their ends, onesleeve of each block being. secured to the outer ends of rack bars 80while the sleeves at the'opposite ends of the blocks are slidablymounted upon the guide bars v67 on which are also mounted the sleeves67"v of the shutter as hereinbefore stated. The rack bars 80 are engagedby pinions 81 secured onthe countershafts 82 on which are also securedthe ratchet wheels 83. These ratchet wheels are engaged by movable pawlsS4 and by retaining pawls 85.-- The, pawls 8a are pivotally mounted onarms extending from sleeves 86 from which extend also arms 87 formingone member of knuckle joints, the opposite members of said joints beingformed on the ends of pivotally mounted arms 88. These. opposite ends ofthese arms 88 are provided with: spaced lugs 89, and between these lugsextend arms 90 on sleeves mounted on the shafts, 91. The outer. end ofthese arms 90 are connected by adpresser head. In this construction,when the carrier of the pressinglhead moves down, the arms 90 will bebrought into contact with the lower lugs 89 thereby so shifting. thesleeves 86 with; 84: are moved back along the ratchet wheel the desireddistance for the next forward feed of the material pusher and feedplate. As the carrier moves/up, the arm 90 will be shifted but will notcontact with the upper lug 89 until after the pressinghead has moved upsuch a distance thatthe feed plates 'will pass under the pressing headwhen the pushing blocks are moved inwardly by operating the describedmechanisms. The con tinued movement of carrier after contact lug 89,will shift the pawls 84 so as toturnthe ratchet wheels to shift therackbar 80 and-the pushing blocks with which it is connected to feedforward the pusher through the described connection and thismovementwill by reason lustable links v92 to the carrier 51 of the itsarms that the pawls V

